District unveils five-year math improvement plan with AGA pathway and placement testing
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Summary
Ted presented a comprehensive math-improvement plan aiming to raise average eleventh-grade SAT scores from 475 to 500 in one year and establish long-term targets (530 by year 3, 560 by 2031) through curriculum alignment, placement testing, protected instructional time and hiring/selecting math content leads.
The Elizabeth School District board heard a detailed math improvement presentation on March 24 from Ted, who outlined a multi-year strategy to raise college-readiness and address systemic weaknesses identified across grades K–12.
Ted reviewed the district's current metrics and participation: of 173 eleventh graders at the end of last year, just 117 took the SAT and 23.9% of those were proficient, yielding an average scale score of 475. "That's not good enough," Ted told the board, adding that opt-outs and low participation complicate accurate measurement of district performance.
He identified root causes: weak core instruction, inconsistent curriculum alignment, limited diagnostic math assessments and insufficient intervention capacity. To address those problems the plan sets four primary drivers: build a coherent K–12 math system, establish clear AGA (algebra–geometry–algebra II) pathways, protect math instructional time, and grow systemwide capacity by assigning content leads and interventionists.
Key tactics include district-wide placement/entrance exams (beginning this spring) to place students in appropriate math sections, moving toward AGA sequencing to simplify instruction and expanding concurrent-enrollment options in junior/senior years. Ted proposed benchmarks and a staged implementation plan: an average eleventh-grade SAT of 500 by 2027, 530 by year 3 and 560 by 2031, with goals for percent college-ready rising to 75% by 2031 in the aggressive scenario.
Ted emphasized implementation risks: scope creep and initiative overload. "This only works if the team stays focused," he said, asking the board to prioritize math and give staff the time and resources to execute the plan. Board members asked practical questions about transitioning from the current integrated pathway, summer-school options, placement exam timing and how many sections would be needed as students move into new pathways. Ted outlined a phased approach with initial pre-units to bridge gaps, placement diagnostics to target intervention needs and weekly teacher joint planning during implementation.
The board did not vote on the plan that night; presenters asked for the board to monitor progress through periodic updates and hold staff accountable to measurable benchmarks.
